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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "huge sum of money" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a next of kin scam.
Fraud email example:
From: Tbek Tbek <gilkel4@gmail.com>
Reply-To: tbek229@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2017 05:51:19 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS
--
Good day,
I am an attorney at law based in Western part of Africa. I have a
business transaction of huge sum of money i want to solicit for your
partnership to execute it without hitch.
I had a foreign client who died in an auto crash in my country and
shortly before his demise he made a cash deposit of $31M in a Finance
Security company in my country and since his death over a year ago
there has been no successful move to locate his immediate family.
The company has requested i come up with his next of kin to receive
the fund but unfortunately he did not indicate any next of kin. It is
in this regard am mailing you to partner with you and receive this
fund.
I have decided you'll have 30% of the fund while 70% is for me which i
intend to invest in your country with your assistance.
If you are willing to know more about this deal get back to me for
further details.
Thank you,
Tuoyo Bekederemo.
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Anti-fraud resources:
